The closing design exercise asks whether a contemporary escort carrier needs a hangar, a continuous flight deck, or a more limited aviation arrangement. It also asks whether the air group should combine anti-submarine patrols with air defence. Each added capability improves utility, raises cost, and makes the ship attractive for missions beyond convoy escort. A versatile platform may spend so much time on other missions that too few remain available for the task that originally justified it.
Notable Point · 1:29:19-1:30:20
Modern escort-carrier versatility limits availability
A modern escort carrier could combine anti-submarine and air-defense roles, but every added capability makes the ship more likely to be diverted from its intended escort mission.